Hybrid tea rose plant named `Meigafor`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Hybrid Tea rose plant is provided which abundantly and continuously forms attractive double light Creamy White blossoms. Such blossoms are long-lasting and initially exhibit an urn-shaped configuration. The plant exhibits an erect growth habit, strong vegetation, decorative glossy foliage, and is well suited for use in the production of cut flowers. Additionally, the plant exhibits excellent disease resistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Hybrid Tea rose plant was created by artificialpollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had beenstudied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the newvariety was the product of the cross of the OMEGA variety (non-patentedin the United States) and the JELPIROFOR variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No.5,632). The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was the MEIVAMOvariety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,619). The Parentage of the new varietycan be summarized as follows:

    (OMEGA×JELPIROFOR)×MEIVAMO.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new variety of Hybrid Tea rose plant of thepresent invention possesses the following combination ofcharacteristics:

(a) forms in abundance double light Creamy White blossoms that initiallyassume an urn-shaped configuration and are lightly suffused with lightChartreuse Green,

(b) is particularly suited for cut flower production, and

(c) exhibits excellent disease resistance.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andis particularly well suited for use when producing cut flowers undergreen house conditions.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Franceby a number of routes, including budding, grafting, and cuttage. Thecharacteristics of the new variety have been found by such methods inFrance to be stable and to be strictly transmissible from one generationto another.

The new variety has been named the MEIGAFOR variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were two years of age and were observed during Maywhile budded on Rosa indica understock and growing in greenhouses at Capd' Antibes, France.

FIG. 1--illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2--illustrates a specimen of a floral bud before the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 3--illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 4--illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thepetals;

FIG. 5--illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening;

FIG.. 6--illustrates a specimen of an open flower -- plan view--obverse;

FIG. 7--illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower--planview--obverse;

FIG. 8--illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 9--illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

FIG. 10--illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 11--illustrates a specimen of a main branch;

FIG. 12--illustrates a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets--planview--upper surface;

FIG. 13--illustrates a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets--planview--under surface; and

FIG. 14--illustrates a specimen of a leaf with seven leaflets--plan view-- upper surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based onthe observation of two year-old plants while budded on Rosa indicaunderstock and growing during May in greenhouses at Cap d' Antibes,France. The coloration in common terms precedes reference to the chart.

Class: Hybrid Tea.

Plant:

Height.--Approximately 50 to 80 cm. on average at the end of the growingseason.

Habit.--Erect.

Branches:

Color.--Young stems: light green, Green Group 137B. Adult wood: lightgreen, Green Group 143C.

Thorns.--Size: medium to small. Quantity: few. Color: reddish on youngstems and greenish pinkish on mature wood.

Leaves:

Stipules.--Adnate, pectinate, very wide and linear.

Petioles.--Upper surface: striped reddish brown on young foliage, mediumgreen on adult foliage, and very glandular. Under surface: light greenand bear numerous small prickles.

Leaflets.--Number: 3, 5 (most often), and 7. Shape: rounded. Serration:simple and regular. Texture: consistent. General appearance: dense andglossy foliage. Color (young foliage): upper surface: reddish-brown.under surface: reddish-brown. Color (adult foliage): upper surface: darkgreen, Green Group 137A under surface: medium green, Green Group 138B.

Inflorescence:

Number of flowers.--Usually one flower per stem.

Peduncle.--Light green and more or less pubescent. The length isapproximately 11 to 12 cm. on average.

Sepals.--Upper surface: tomentose, and greenish in coloration. Undersurface: medium green, and more or less glandular and appendiculate atthe edges.

Buds.--Shape: elongated. Length: approximately 4 cm. on average. Size:medium. Color upon opening: upper surface: Creamy White, Yellow Group11D, and sometimes edged with light Neyron Rose, Red group 55C when coldgrowing conditions are encountered. under surface: Creamy White,Yellow-White Group 158D, and lightly suffused with light ChartreuseGreen, Green-Yellow Group 1D, particularly at the base.

Flower.--Shape: initially urn-shaped, and subsequently cup-shaped.Diameter: approximately 12 to 13 cm. on average. Color (when openingbegins): upper surface: Creamy White, Yellow Group 11D, and sometimesedges with Light Neyron Rose, Red Group 55C when cold growing conditionsare encountered. under surface: Creamy White, Yellow Group 158D, andlightly suffused with light Chartreuse Green, Yellow-Green Group 1D.Color (when blooming): upper surface: Creamy White, Yellow Group 11D,and sometimes edges with light Neyron Rose, Red Group 55C when coldgrowing conditions are encountered. under surface: Creamy White, YellowGroup 11D, and sometimes edged with light Neyron Rose, Red Group 55Cwhen cold growing conditions are encountered. Color (at end of opening):upper surface: Creamy White, Yellow Group 11D, and sometimes edged withlight Neyron Rose, Red Group 55C when cold growing conditions areencountered. under surface: Creamy White, Yellow Group 11D, andsometimes edged with light Neyron Rose, Red Group 55C when cold growingconditions are encountered. Fragrance: slight. Lasting quality: verylong when cut and placed in a vase. Petal number: approximately 35 onaverage. Petal shape: outer petals tend to be rounded and the innerpetals tend to be oval. Petal drop: good. Stamen number: approximately120 to 130 on average. Anthers: normal, ochre in coloration and tend tobe disposed above the stigmas. Filaments: yellowish in coloration, andcommonly of irregular heights. Pistils: approximately 96 to 108 onaverage. Stigmas: light ochre in coloration. Styles: fuchsine incoloration, and commonly of irregular heights. Receptacle: medium green,smooth, and in longitudinal section in the shape of a funnel.

Development:

Vegetation.--Strong.

Blooming.--Abundant.

Aptitude to bear fruits.--Excellent.

Resistance to diseases.--Excellent.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Hybrid Tea rose plantcharacterized by the following combination of characteristics:(a) formsin abundance double light Creamy White blossoms that initially assume anurn-shaped configuration and are light suffused with light ChartreuseGreen, (b) is particularly suited for cut flower production, and (c)exhibits excellent disease resistance;substantially as herein shown anddescribed.